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(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Duplicates/Conflicts with/Companion to/Relates to

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Human Services Department (HSD)

Department of Health (DOH)

Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 128 appropriates $1,250.0 from the general fund to the Children, Youth and Families Department to contract for prevention and behavioral health services and programs for Medicaid -ineligible youth. Proposed services include:

-After-school programs

- life skills building programs

- mentoring

-home-based services

-behavioral management

-respite care

-parental support and education

-independent living programs

-substance abuse treatment

- foster care

-independent living programs

-group homes and shelter care.

Significant Issues

The Children, Youth and Families Department currently uses contract funds to provide these prevention and behavioral health (mental health and substance abuse) services to Medicaid ineligible youth on a very limited basis.

House Bill 128 would provide programs as well as behavioral health services to Medicaid ineligible youth and their families. The State of Health in New Mexico 1999 Report shows 44,000 New Mexican children and adolescents under 18 have serious emotional disturbance as defined by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration. In 1997, only 5,400 children and adolescents received mental health services through Medicaid or the state General Fund. National data also suggests that over 100,000 children in New Mexico have a mental health problem at any one time.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

House Bill 128 appropriates $1,250.0 from the general fund and is recurring.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

The impact to CYFD would be minimal and includes developing Request for Proposals, establishing contracts and monitoring the programs. The impact to the Medical Assistance Division of HSD would also be minimal since it is directed to non-Medicaid youth accessing services and programs through CYFD.

CONFLICT/DUPLICATION/COMPANIONSHIP/RELATIONSHIP

House Bill 128 relates to Senate Bill 14, which would provide $224.0 specifically for mentoring through the Department of Health.

House Bill 128 relates to Senate Bill 47 and HB110, both establish funds through the Tobacco settlement dollars, these funds would be available for use by communities for after-school programs and youth development activities. The bill also relates to Senate Bill 50 which would provide $2,000.0 to the State Department of Education to prevent youth dropout, mentoring and substance abuse services.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

The department of health indicates that there are many Medicaid-ineligible children and families that could benefit from the expansion of these critical services and programs. CYFD is the appropriated agency to administer funding for the bulk of the services, primarily the behavioral health services. CYFD has monitoring and evaluation programs in place. CYFD and DOH currently collaborate in the provision of services to at-risk youth.

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

How much is CYFD allocating in the FY00 operating budget for medicaid-ineligible youth, and of this how much is for behavioral health?

RMS/gm